Anyway, back to the story. Kaitlyn had messaged me about a pop up store for UKISS in Myeongdong that she wanted me to go check out for her. I also wanted to see it, because well it is UKISS (One of my top kpop groups) and I really needed to get out of the dorms and walk around. I have been too much of a sloth lately.
So I went to the pop-up store and got a shirt box and two free posters then walked across the street into Myeongdong's heart and walked around. H&M was have a very big sale so I went in and got three tops and a hat/scarf set all for a little under $18 US. After getting the new clothes, I just wondered and people watched. Myeongdong is always an interesting place because the people are always changing. What I mean is that sometime when you go, there is an influx of foreigners, while other times the number of Koreans is far greater. It was one of those days where the Korean population was greater than the foreigners. I stood out, the lone foreigner taking photos of the shops with her camera all by herself. But for once I was ok standing out. I did not care that people were giving me weird looks because i was breaking out into a wide smile after I took a picture of a life sized preppy bear that would put the boys at my home university to shame.
After walking around Myeongdong, I took to the underground shopping areas just to wander around and to head back to the subway, but I accidentally went into the one that does not connect to the station, but instead I ended up walking from Myeongdong to City Hall via the underground tunnels.
Once I go to the split in the tunnel, one way going to line 1 (Itaewon) and line 2 (Sinchon), I had decided to go back to the dorm and maybe take a nap because I did not really sleep all that much last nigh (new roommate, different sleeping habits), but right before I went down the stairs to go to the gates leading to the platform, I suddenly had the urge to go above ground and to walk around. When I came up, I knew right where I was. It was the same place that I had been a few times before (see: Lantern Festival, Seoul Scavenger Hunt, Kyobo Bookstore, and Gyeongbokgung Palace) but never from this direction, so I just walked and took some pictures.
It actually turned out great because I had planned on going to the line of statues/Kyobo and then taking the subway home from there so I just kept walking straight. So as I was walking and got to Deoksu Palace, I came at the right time to watch the changing of the guard. I watched them until they left to do what ever they do after the show, and then continued on my way heading to the subway. But the funny thing was that I inavertally started to follow the parade, but from the other side of the street. So to sum it up, my day ended with me stalking a Chosun Dynasty marching band!
But something that really made my day was on the subway home, I felt like I belonged. I knew all the trick on how to not fall down when the car suddenly lurched and I was able to navigate the subway like it was my second home, just like the native "Seoululites". It was interesting to see some of the tourists stare at the map and look lost on the subway with the flurry of Korean that hits you as the speaker overhead announces the upcoming stop (they repeat it in English, Chinese, and Japanese, but not I tend to tune out after the Korean, unless the subway stop is something other than its English name).
This city is starting to become a part of me.
I love exploring cities on my own. Next try the grocery store by yourself. You'll be amazed at all the different products.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking about that. I might do a blog post on that too, but it is going to need to wait until after I get home from Japan!
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